2006年VOA标准英语-Early Returns From Madagascar Election Show Pre

By Scott Bobb
Johannesburg
04 December 2006

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Madagascar President Marc Ravalomanana casts his ballot in Antananarivo, 3 Dec 2006

In Madagascar, preliminary returns from Sunday's presidential election show the incumbent² in the lead. International observers say the balloting³ was orderly, although they have criticized some aspects of the process. VOA Correspondent Scott Bobb reports from our Southern Africa Bureau in Johannesburg.

Election officials in Madagascar say voter turnout was relatively⁴ high in Sunday's presidential election. Most ballots⁵ from the capital region have been tabulated⁶, although returns from some rural areas have yet to arrive.

President Marc Ravalomanana, a wealthy businessman, was running for a second five-year term against 13 challengers.

The director of the Elections Institute of Southern Africa, which monitored the vote, Dennis Kadima, says voting was peaceful, and he was impressed by the efficiency of the counting of the color-coded ballots.

"Different candidates had different colors [for ballots]. All they had to do was to take it out of the envelopes, and attribute it to the right candidate," said Kadima. "And that went quite quickly. We were quite impressed with that process."

However, he noted⁷ that ballot papers for four candidates were not available at some polling stations.

Under Madagascar law, candidates supplied their own ballots. This was criticized as unfair to less wealthy participants.

Several opposition⁸ candidates also complained that no public funds were provided for the campaign, which favored the incumbent.

Observer Dennis Kadima said that, although the voting was orderly, the election was tainted⁹, because some politicians were prevented from participating.

"Strong, high caliber¹⁰ candidates were prevented, directly or indirectly¹¹, to stand in the election, if you see all the strong people who left the country in 2001 and 2002, and those who are in jail up to now," he noted.

The government refused to allow an exiled opposition leader, Pierre Rajaonarivelo, to return home to compete in the election.

And some politicians boycotted¹² the vote, because it was held two months early, which they said was unconstitutional.

The head of the observer mission from the Southern Africa Development Community's Parliamentary Forum¹³, Duke Lefhoko, said future elections should not be administered by the government.

"The government and people of Madagascar must set up an independent electoral commission," commented Lefhoko. "As long as elections are run from a ministry¹⁴ of government, there will always be the feeling they are both player and referee¹⁵."

In the previous presidential elections, Mr. Ravalomanana and his opponent, then-President Didier Ratsiraka, both claimed victory, which led to a seven-month standoff that ended only when Ratsiraka fled into exile.

1 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

2 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

3 balloting   

v.（使）投票表决( ballot的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Clark took a commanding leading in the early balloting. 在最初投票时，克拉克遥遥领先。 来自辞典例句
• The balloting had stagnated, he couldn't win. 投票工作陷于停顿，他不能得胜。 来自辞典例句

4 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

5 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 tabulated   

把（数字、事实）列成表( tabulate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Results for the test program haven't been tabulated. 试验的结果还没有制成表格。
• A large number of substances were investigated and the relevant properties tabulated. 已经研究了多种物质，并将有关性质列成了表。

7 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

8 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

9 tainted   

adj.腐坏的；污染的；沾污的；感染的v.使变质( taint的过去式和过去分词 )；使污染；败坏；被污染，腐坏，败坏

参考例句：

• The administration was tainted with scandal. 丑闻使得政府声名狼藉。
• He was considered tainted by association with the corrupt regime. 他因与腐败政府有牵连而名誉受损。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 caliber   

n.能力；水准

参考例句：

• They ought to win with players of such high caliber.他们选手的能力这样高,应该获胜。
• We are always trying to improve the caliber of our schools.我们一直在想方设法提高我们学校的水平。

11 indirectly   

adv.间接地，不直接了当地

参考例句：

• I heard the news indirectly.这消息我是间接听来的。
• They were approached indirectly through an intermediary.通过一位中间人，他们进行了间接接触。

12 boycotted   

抵制，拒绝参加( boycott的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Athletes from several countries boycotted the Olympic Games. 有好几国的运动员抵制奥林匹克运动会。
• The opposition party earlier boycotted the Diet agenda, demanding Miyaji's resignation. 反对党曾杯葛国会议程，要宫路下台。

13 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

14 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

15 referee   

n.裁判员．仲裁人，代表人，鉴定人

参考例句：

• The team was left raging at the referee's decision.队员们对裁判员的裁决感到非常气愤。
• The referee blew a whistle at the end of the game.裁判在比赛结束时吹响了哨子。